Dark City

[The Hornets]

It’s been explained by the independent labels that the LE edition size and pricing is to cover their costs including licencing, any restoration, new extras, booklet, production and so on.

Any later cheaper and in many cases trimmed down version is the cream on the cake and helps these labels continue in business.

As noted they want people preordering as soon as orders go live at full price not cheap skates waiting for future discounts and then panicking when they see the LE sold out. There was plenty of opportunity to preorder and be earlier in the queue.

If you think it’s bad in the U.K. it’s even worse in the US where labels like Disney/Fox, Sony and Lionsgate are doing their back catalogue on limited print run steelbooks to keep prices at full price and then perhaps do another full price reprint later.

It’s only really new big Hollywood films released in high numbers so likely to see discounts down the line. Even then stuff like steelbooks are much more limited to keep prices high.

All this means along with my work situation and finances that I’ve massively cut back buying anything to essential purchases only all preordered to ensure I get them. Others I have to make do with existing BDs and DVDs. Have too many titles already and life means unlike some here I can’t chase and buy every LE or new 4K title. You make your choices accordingly.

[Cinematt]

I think I said this in the general Arrow thread but my suspicion is that they licensed the second disc in full from someone else so they could include the other cut and the legacy extras, and they weren't able to carry that over. Very strange that they weren't up front about it being an LE exclusive, unless they learned something afterwards that prevents them from including it.
There is precedent for it with releases like The Game, where they included the DVD in the LE with all the legacy extras but weren't allowed to port them to the blu-ray.

[The Hornets]

With The Game wasn’t that so they could include the commentary and other legacy Criterion extras. These were on the Universal U.K. DVD but couldn’t be included on the new BD hence including the DVD as well.

In terms of the 2nd disc being LE hadn’t spotted either way in the press release but with Arrow I always take it for granted the 2nd disc will be omitted from the later general release version. Did notice they were explicit with this for The Great Escape I assume because of the extra cost of licencing the 2nd film version.

[JackyJacquard]

Originally Posted by The Hornets

Did notice they were explicit with this for The Great Escape I assume because of the extra cost of licencing the 2nd film version.

They announced ages ago - like 2 or 3 years - that they were going to be up front about when on-disc content is exclusive to the bonus edition. Generally they have been, like as you say with The Great Escape but also with The Good, the Bad and the Ugly clearly labelling the 4th disc, The Chronicles of Riddick is another one.

Which is why a lot of us were caught out by Dark City

[Cinematt]

Originally Posted by The Hornets

With The Game wasn’t that so they could include the commentary and other legacy Criterion extras. These were on the Universal U.K. DVD but couldn’t be included on the new BD hence including the DVD as well.

Exactly this, which is what makes me think this was the same, because the extras match the European blu ray release of the theatrical cut Warner put out in 2012. That contained some, but not all, of the extras from the 2008 release that had both cuts. On the 2008 release the two featurettes that are in the arrow limited edition were included on the director's cut, but they were moved to the theatrical cut release in 2012 and the other featurettes that had been on the 08 release were dropped.
So I think arrow were able to finesse a licensing agreement to re-do that 2012 release and update it with their new 4K version of the film - either that or they thought they could and someone at Warner wasn't happy about it and they got their knuckles rapped, hence it not being listed as a limited edition exclusive and getting unceremoniously dropped.

[chip75]

Had a chat about my pre-order with Amazon, they apologized and offered a month of Prime. They then tried to sell me a US DVD, and when I explained that the content was and title was OOS and they oversold the pre-orders, they said they'd have stock on September 11.

[calmblueocean81]

The regular non-limited edition version of the blu is now up for pre-order!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-City-B.../dp/B08R5BBS34

[FreddyK]

Originally Posted by calmblueocean81

The regular non-limited edition version of the blu is now up for pre-order!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-City-B.../dp/B08R5BBS34

Only one disc though. I didn't pay £25 for the LE as it was a ridiculous price and won't get that now since they removed a disc. All I wanted was both versions in a standard case.

[calmblueocean81]

Originally Posted by FreddyK

Only one disc though. I didn't pay £25 for the LE as it was a ridiculous price and won't get that now since they removed a disc. All I wanted was both versions in a standard case.

I completely get that. I know the previous edition of the blu contained both cuts on the one disc. But I think that the directors cut was always going to be my go-to. So if this has a better transfer, new special features and a pretty slick looking slip/alternate cover, I'll probably grab this when it drops a little. Its one of my fave films!

I have it digitally too, but can't see that ever getting an upgrade to 4k (its rare to see an Arrow title get the 4k upgrade on iTunes), so this new remastered blu is likely the best its ever going to look for me, without going the full 4k blu-ray route.

[FreddyK]

Originally Posted by calmblueocean81

I completely get that. I know the previous edition of the blu contained both cuts on the one disc. But I think that the directors cut was always going to be my go-to. So if this has a better transfer, new special features and a pretty slick looking slip/alternate cover, I'll probably grab this when it drops a little. Its one of my fave films!

I have it digitally too, but can't see that ever getting an upgrade to 4k (its rare to see an Arrow title get the 4k upgrade on iTunes), so this new remastered blu is likely the best its ever going to look for me, without going the full 4k blu-ray route.

I would wait for a sale if I did get it. I am not bothered about slips as the only one I have is the Last Starfighter.

I have just bought a new TV and still decided on a 1080p one. My current blu ray player is only a year old so not going to spend more again on a 4k one.

[calmblueocean81]

Originally Posted by FreddyK

I would wait for a sale if I did get it. I am not bothered about slips as the only one I have is the Last Starfighter.

I have just bought a new TV and still decided on a 1080p one. My current blu ray player is only a year old so not going to spend more again on a 4k one.

I'm mostly with you there. Physically I'm going no further than 1080p blu, but I do have a 4k TV and pick up iTunes movies on sale, which get upgraded to 4k quite often (a nice bonus!).

As for my comment about the slick looking slip, I have no interest in them either, but I do really like the alternate art they've produced here and wasn't sure if it was a slip or a reversible cover sleeve (love those reversible ones that give you options! )